Get crafty in Jaipur

Rajasthan’s well known for its beautiful arts and crafts, and Jaipur is a good city in which to get a closer glimpse of this culture. In the city’s tiny lines, you’ll find artisans who create gorgeous jewellery, fabrics and paintings, right before your eyes. But you don’t just have to watch, you can even try your hand at it.

For instance, visit Paliwal Textiles to watch practised hands block-print rows of Rajasthani motifs on cotton sheets. The motifs come from a wooden block that has an embossed design, dipped in vegetable dye. Smaller blocks are used to fill in details in the design. Try block-printing a camel or an elephant and watch the natural dyes change colour upon drying. Remember that aligning the blocks is tricky: one slip of the hand and you end up with a two-headed animal instead of one

But block-printing will seem easy-peasy when try creating a Rajasthani miniature painting. At Shashi Arts & Crafts, resident artist Raja Babu paints marble plates and parchment-like paper using light strokes. His studio is full of miniatures that showcase Rajput havelis and Mughal court scenes. Local artists use techniques developed in the Kota, Bundi, Kishengarh and Jaipur schools of miniature painting. What’s interesting is that the shape of the nose, ears and other features is determined based on the school of painting. Bani-thani, which depicts side-profiles of bejewelled women, is the most commonly-used style.

Nearby, in Johri Bazaar, is friendly Deepak Sankit’s home studio. He practises the art of making enamel jewellery at Deen Dayal Raj Kumar Jewellers. Enamelling involves glass paints being fused into precious metals. Deepak offers a one-day crash course that’ll let you in on the intricate art behind kundan-minakari, Jaipur’s trademark craft that combines Persian minakari (enamelling) with gold or silver. It’s all hard work, though: it can take a month to finish a large pendant.

Trying your hand at these crafts is not only a great way to make memories, but it’ll also make you appreciate the hard work that goes into the handicrafts that you buy. These centuries-old arts need to thrive if they’re to be preserved. Plus, you get your own souvenir to bring back home.